Cardiac toxicity of intravenous terbutaline for the treatment of severe asthma in children: A prospective assessment

Objective: To examine the cardiac toxicity as measured Ly elevations in ser um cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and to compare creatine kinase (CK) and creati ne kinase MB (CK-MB) and findings on electrocardiography (ECG) as markers o f cardiac toxicity with cTnT during the infusion of intravenous terbutaline For the treatment of severe asthma in children. Study design: Prospective cohort study of patients receiving intravenous te rbutaline for severe asthma. Results: Only 3 (10%) of the 29 patients had elevations in cTnT. Each under went mechanical ventilation fur >72 hours, which was the earliest point at which cTnT elevations were identified. Eighteen (62%) patients had an eleva tion in CK, and 3 had an elevation in CK-MB fraction without an elevated cT nT. Twenty (69%) patients had ECG findings consistent with ischemia, and 19 of these patients had the ischemic findings on their preterbutaline ECC. E levations in CK and CK-MB and ischemic changes on ECC did not correlate wit h elevations in cTnT. Both mechanical ventilation (P =.02) and prolonged ad ministration (>72 hours) of intravenous terbutaline (P =.02) were significa ntly, associated with elevations in cTnT. Conclusions: We found no clinically significant cardiac toxicity from the u se of intravenous terbutaline for severe asthma as measured Lt serum cTnT e levations.